York revolt of 878

The York revolt of 878 occurred when the Anglo-Saxon Christian population of York, led by the fanatical priest Father Hrothweard, massacred the Danish garrison of the city while the warlords Erik and Sigefrid Thurgilsson were campaigning in Scotland.

Background
In May 878, King Alfred the Great of Wessex defeated a Danish Viking army under King Guthrum at the Battle of Edington, inspiring bravery among Anglo-Saxon Christians living under Danish occupation. In York, the fanatical Catholic priest Father Hrothweard began to spread dissent among the townspeople, as he idolized the fabled warrior Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a hero of Edington.

That same year, the Danish warlord brothers Erik and Sigefrid Thurgilsson left York under the command of their ally Haesteinn as they marched north to campaign in Scotland. Erik told Haesteinn to keep his men sober and not to kill for the fun of it, and the two brothers left the city on horseback as Haesteinn asked for them to bring back red-headed women as plunder.

Revolt
Hrothweard, witnessing the departure of the warlords, rushed to his fellow priests and told them about the northward march of the Danish warlords and the successes in Wessex. Seeking to take Alfred's lead and kill every Northman in Eoferwic, Hrothweard adopted the Holy Trinity as a battle cry, and he inspired the common people to take up arms and massacre the Danish soldiers in the city. Many of the Danes were put on display, being hung from the town gates or from posts. The Anglo-Saxon revolt succeeded, later enabling the former slave Guthred to rise to power as a Christian Danish king of both Saxons and Danes.